NY Man Accused Of Fraudulently Buying iPhones In Westport: Cops

WESTPORT, CT — A 65-year-old Bronx, NY man, who is accused of a similar crime in New Canaan, was arrested on a warrant by Westport police this week in connection with the fraudulent purchase of two iPhones from the local Verizon Wireless Zone store on the Post Road East.

Thomas Welborn was arrested by New Canaan police on April 23 after he tried to buy an $1,100 iPhone using fraudulent cellular account information.

During that investigation, New Canaan police said that detectives discovered that Welborn had successfully bought two iPhones from the Westport store - valued at a combined $2,020 - the previous day.

To make those fraudulent purchases, Welborn is accused of using the same "forged New Jersey operator's license in the victim's name" to access the victim's cellular account as in the New Canaan crime, according to Westport police.

"The local Verizon store did lodge a formal complaint and wished for prosecution of the suspect in this incident," wrote Westport police in a statement. "Through review of video surveillance from the store, detectives were able to positively identify the Westport suspect as the same individual that had been arrested by the New Canaan Police Department; Thomas Welborn. An arrest warrant was subsequently sought and granted for Welborn in connection with this incident."

Welborn was arrested on Aug. 21 at Norwalk Superior Court when he appeared on unrelated charges, according to Westport police.

He was charged with third-degree larceny and third-degree identity theft. Welborn was held in lieu of bail of $50,000, and he was scheduled to be arraigned in court on Aug. 22.